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WEST VALLEY CITY — Carson Su'esu'e credits the players and coaches at Granger for his "smooth transition" after moving from California for his senior year, but that would probably discount the "countless hours" of work the quarterback has put in, according to head coach Pala Vaitu'u.
"Carson has brought a work ethic of how to attack and perfect your craft," Vaitu'u said of the transfer from De La Salle in Concord, California. "He is constantly working on every aspect of the QB position. He spends countless hours and 5:30 a.m. meetings going over concepts."
The work has paid off. Su'esu'e finds himself among the elite signal callers in the state as the regular season wraps up, ranking in the top five in passing touchdowns (33) and top 10 in passing yards (2,824).
He has 33 total touchdown passes with one game left in the regular season and has thrown three or more scores on six occasions, including four last week in a 49-0 win over Cyprus to cement Granger's spot at the top of Region 5.
"I gotta give praise to the most high," Su'esu'e said. "Obviously, we've put so much hard work into the offseason and each and every day of our practice. I think it all goes back to the man above."
Su'esu'e said he goes on temple trips with his church youth group and lives by the mantra: "Pray hard, work harder."
He has prioritized spending time on and off the field with his teammates to bond and become friends, creating a connection that shows up under the lights. They trust each other to "put their bodies on the line" for one another and "give it all each and every play."
Thought I was making moves but it's been God's grace guiding me the whole way, Without him I Am nothing🙏🏽.
— Carson Su'esu'e (@CarsonSuesue1) October 8, 2023
Week 9 in the 📚's
🔒 in like no other #GHOUSE@granger_lancers@Coach_Pala@_landonf@jordan_tuuao24@kijohvian2024@uisi_tuuao@KofeBenson@VPatetefa@diegofilmditpic.twitter.com/aEivAWeyB5
Su'esu'e committed to BYU over the summer after visiting Provo. He said one of the things that stood out to him was how happy everyone was both on and off the field. According to Vaitu'u, Su'esu'e will fit right in with the good vibes in Happy Valley.
"The first thing you notice when you meet Carson is that big smile," Vaitu'u said. "He brings that smile with his positive and playful energy to practice, meetings, weight room, classroom and games. Good or bad, he's always looking up moving forward."
Despite his impressive play and promising future, Su'esu'e tries to keep football in perspective, knowing it won't always be there,
"There's always gonna be things after football," Su'esu'e said. "Football is gonna end for everybody eventually. Me being a good kid, a good son, a good person, and just doing things like hobbies that I like, you know, I think there's more than just football."
Su'esu'e said he is trying to prioritize spending time with his family right now and also enjoys playing video games, chess and singing.
On the field, Su'esu'e is focused on the next game and the next big goal. First is this week's "Battle of the Ville" with Hunter High, and then setting the team's sights on the big prize.
"The end goal of mine is to win a state championship. That'd be amazing," Su'esu'e said. "That's what we're coming for."
